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Don’t let the name scare you. These days chemical peels are actually safe and effective cosmetic treatments that can benefit the skin in many ways. The chemical peel is administered in a doctor's office, by a certified and trained dermatologist or plastic surgeon. And winter is the best time to start doing chemical peels.
How does it work?
A chemical peel removes the top layer of skin to reveal smoother, healthier skin below. This is a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin on the face, neck and hands. A chemical solution is applied to the skin that causes it to exfoliate and eventually peel off.
The chemical peel is one of the oldest cosmetic procedures in the world, and was performed in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to help people achieve smoother, more beautiful skin. Today, chemical facial peels are popular because they offer nearly immediate results and can be performed as an outpatient procedure.
Uses of chemical peels to treat:
* Acne (some types)
* Age spots
* Pigmentation issues (blotchy complexion, uneven skin tone)
* Dull complexion
*Fine lines (especially under the eyes and around the mouth)
* Freckles
* Melasma
*Rough-feeling skin
*Sun-damaged skin
Whether you receive a chemical peel to diminish signs of aging or treat a skin condition, you could see everything from a reduction in wrinkles to a more even skin colour, brighter complexion and smoother skin.
Types of Chemical Peels
There are different types of chemical peels. These depend on how deep the chemical soaks into the skin and what type of chemical is used. Things that may affect the depth of a peel include the strength of the acid in the peeling agent, the number of coats applied, and the amount of time allowed before the acid is neutralised.
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Which chemical peel to use is based on your skin type and the particular problem you face. Solutions containing concentrations of 20% up to 70% of acid are used. After one undergoes a skin peel depending on the type of the peel, the treated layers of skin gradually flake away, revealing a fresh new layer of skin.
Chemical peels are divided according to the depth of penetration to the skin layers i.e. superficial, medium and deep peels.
Light Chemical Peels
Your dermatologist will use a specific formula for your chemical peel based on the characteristics of your skin and your desired result. Light chemical peels are used to treat fine wrinkling, areas of dryness, uneven pigmentation, and acne. The solution used for light chemical peels is usually comprised of alphahydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic, lactic, salicylic, or fruit acids. Light chemical peels are ideal for people who want the benefits of a facial peel but do not wish to spend the time required to recover from a deeper peel.
Medium Chemical Peels
For medium facial peels, many doctors use trichloroacetic acid (TCA). This chemical works well for treating fine surface wrinkles, superficial blemishes, and pigmentation problems. Similar to the light chemical peel, medium chemical peels require less downtime than a deeper peel. TCA peels are the preferred choice for patients with darker skin.
Deep Chemical Peels
Deep chemical peels are the strongest of the facial peels. The chemical used for deep chemical peels is phenol acid. Deep peels are used to treat coarse facial wrinkles, blotches caused by aging or sun exposure, and pre-cancerous growths. While a deep chemical peel produces the most dramatic, longest-lasting results, the procedure takes longer than other peels (one to two hours) and requires the most healing time. (Sometimes up to several months.)
Phenol acid is typically used only for facial peels. Because a deep chemical peel may cause permanent lightening of the skin, prospective patients should seek advice from a qualified cosmetic dermatologist before undergoing the procedure.
These are the most common chemical peels used:
Lactic Peel
Derived from milk, the lactic peel is ideal for skin that’s dry or sensitive to active ingredients like retinol. If you’re concerned about having an adverse reaction, the lactic peel is easier on the skin.
TCA Peel
TCA is trichloroacetic acid used to provide a medium depth peel to the skin depending on the concentration. This treatment can help to remove abnormal skin cells. There are significant cosmetic benefits to this procedure as well.
Phenol Peel
Deep chemical peel involve a longer procedure and longer recovery time that lasts up to several months in some cases.
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA)
This class of chemical compounds is frequently used for chemical peeling. The commonly used AHA are: Lactic acid, Citric acid, Mandelic acid and Glycolic acid.
Glycolic Peel
The glycolic peel has the smallest molecular size and penetrates the deepest. It’s great for the exfoliation and rejuvenation of aging skin. Glycolic peels come in different strengths, depending on the results you’re looking for.
Things you need to know before you get a chemical peel
Sun protection
During the healing period after a chemical peel (before the skin has finished peeling), you will need to completely avoid sun exposure. After the skin stops peeling, you will need to wear a strong sunscreen every day and limit your time in the sun as much as possible. New skin is more likely to be damaged and change color from sunlight and this can have adverse affects on your skin but also on your health.
Are chemical peels painful?
In general, patients only feel a mild stinging sensation during light or medium chemical peels. After the procedure, the physician may prescribe a mild pain reliever to relieve any discomfort.
Who is a good candidate for a chemical peel?
Generally, fair-skinned and light-haired patients are better candidates for chemical peels. If you have darker skin, you may also have good results, depending upon the type of problem being treated and the experience of the doctor on doing the chemical peel dark skin.
Is there downtime?
After a medium or deep peel, you will have downtime. A deep chemical peel requires recuperation at home for 2 to 3 weeks.
When will I see the results?
Once your skin heals, you will see the results. Healing time ranges from 1 day for a refreshing or lunchtime peel to 14 days or longer for a deep peel. To get the results you seek from a refreshing peel or lunchtime peel, you may need to have 3 to 5 peels.
How long will the results last?
Most results are not permanent because our skin continues to age. If you have lots of sun-damaged skin or precancerous skin growths called actinic keratosis, you will likely continue to see new spots and growths on your skin.
What are the possible side effects?
In the hands of a doctor who has experience with chemical peels, side effects tend to be mild. Some patients develop:
* Persistent redness that may last for months.
* Temporary darkening of the skin.
* Lighter skin color (medium and deep peels).
* Scarring (very rare when peel performed by a dermatologist).
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If serious side effects occur, it is often because the patient did not follow the dermatologist’s instructions. Your risk for developing an infection or scarring increase dramatically if you:
* Fail to protect your skin from the sun.
* Fail to care for your wound as instructed.
* Scratch the treated skin or pick off a scab.
* Apply makeup before your skin heals.
* Don’t heed your dermatologist’s advice and use a tanning bed or other type of indoor tanning.
When is it safe to have another chemical peel?
To maintain results, you can repeat mild and medium chemical peels. Your dermatologist can tell you how often you can have a repeat treatment. A person can have only one deep peel.
What is the safety record for chemical peels?
Dermatologists have been performing chemical peels for more than 50 years, with an excellent safety record.
People of colour can safely have a chemical peel — but they should see a dermatologist who has expertise using chemical peels to treat darker skin tones. Without this knowledge, people who have skin of color (i.e., African American, Asian, Latino) can develop permanent pigment problems.
There are do-it-yourself chemical peels on the market, but it’s always a good idea to see a trained professional. If you’d like to find out what type of chemical peel is right for you, please visit a professional.
Chemical peels are one of the quickest cosmetic treatments that can produce real results. They are generally a low-risk treatment that has many benefits and can rejuvenate the skin without surgery.
